Placing the history and philosophy of science on the curriculum: A model for the development of pedagogy

Abstract

This article focuses on two of the principal issues for science curriculum developers who wish to introduce the history and philosophy of science into the teaching of science - the justification for, and the placement of, historical materials within teachers' schemes of work. First, it is argued that the history and philosophy of science must have a rationale that is integral to, and consistent with, teachers' main aims to have any chance of being considered for inclusion in a program of study. Second, the justification must point to places in schemes of work where the inclusion of history of science will directly contribute to students learning of science concepts and satisfy that principal objective. A new model for the inclusion of such material is proposed that directly addresses both children's alternative frameworks and the historical and sociocultural context of the discovery. It is argued that this model offers potential for improved learning of the concepts of science and for learning about science. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.